The Greenville times., 1887-06-18

ElIAQiuAlG AAu0Af ANAAAA alA III
crease fertility, aud at the same
time be as profitable as one special
crop.
The lands of the Delta stand
first in the production Of cotton,
but they are not surpassed in yield
of other crops, such as hay, oats
and corn. If the farmers Of the
central States, where cotton will
not grow, can farm profitably, it
would seem that if we can grow
the same crops and get even lar
ger yields than they can secure,
and at the same or less cost, that
we need not feel tied to the cotton
crop alone. In suggesting q di
versity of crops on these planta.
tions | do not advocate abandon
ing the cotton. believe we should
increase the amount of cotton
grown in this country, to the ex.
tent of discouraging its produc
tion elsewhere, and control if pos.
sible the cotton industry in all its |
branches. planting and manufac.
turing. To do this we must learn |
how to make cheaper cotton by
making greater yield per hand,
and we must learn some way of
keeping up the yield per acre on
these natural cotton lands through
the years to come.
On some of the richest soils IN
the world, and with the most fa.
vorable climate, the sugar planters
of this country have done what
the cotton planters of the Delta
are doing to-day, paid almost no
attention to cheapenlng the cost
andlmproving the method of grow
ing and working cane, with the re-
suit that other countries under
less favorable circumstances have
outstripped them in this industry
and nearly destroyed their busl-
ness. The Louisiana sugar grower
experience station, established to
make q careful study of the sugar
cane growth and manufacture,
should have been started and
! worked out before France and
Germany learned how to make
sugar from the beet at less cost
than our planters have been ma.
king it from cane. There is the
same necessity for careful expert.
mental work now in the growing
of cotton ON these lands. II
should be the work Of this Asso'
, citation to inaugura.e a series 0i
! Investigations In cotton culture
, similar to the work Of the Louis
a lana stations on cane. Much may bt
4 done that will be of great value
a by individuals.
f If we may Judge from the results
0 OF accidental application of ma
!. nure, such as may be noticed nea
a stables on the old lands, ther,
0 seems to be no question as to thu
o value of manure In increasln,
4 crops, and the same is true of cot
i. ton seed.
f have been unable to secur'
h any data in regard to the effect o
/. red clover or the COW pea on sue
O ceeding crops; having heard iron
0 no one who has tried following
h these two noted renovating crop
0 with cotton and corn in the Delta
Q 1t has been demonstrated on tn
!. old cotton plantations on the up
A lands OF this and other States tina
!. to plant peas each year, reducing
). the acreage of cotton and corr
n one-fourth, alternating the crop
s to have each part of the plantation
I in peas every four years, letting
. the peas rot on the ground or say
a ing enough for hay, we may re
r duce the cost of cultivation by re
a ducing the number of hands with
/ out reducing total yield. For ex
\ perience has shown that this sys
t. tenn has increased the yield pc
\ acre twenty-five per cent.
We can secure the same resul
!, temporarily by using the CONNER
q cial fertilizer as soon as the sol
D shows partial exhaustion. AppIi
= cations of a fertilizer does no
/ supply the material removed b.
0 the crop and material wasted, al
has been shown by experiment
0 The fertilizer however will turI
h loose elements of plant food lock
n ed up in the soil for a few years
i. but the stimulating process sool
r calls for larger and larger doses tt
n produce the desired effect and o.
Q increasing cost until the limit O.
I profitable production IL reached
4 The natural fertility of the soil viii
then be pretty thoroughly exhaus
: ted and restoration will be cost,
i process.
While on a visit to Minnesoti
D three years ago / was told by al
Q old settler III the southern par
> of the State, that not one larg'
|. exclusive wheat grower in BIZ
t county was solvent. When tina
Q section of the county was frs
h settled exclusive wheat growing
s had paid large profits, but nov
t only the combined wheat, corr
n grass, and stock growers wer
/. making money.
s It may seem ridiculous to tall
d of combining stock growing wit
e cotton growing in the Delta, bu
n bear in mind that | suggest thi
d plan for the consideration only c
% those whose land begins to sho'
II partial exhaustion.
o 1st. Stock food. corn, hay, grass
h etc, can be grown at less cost
II the Delta than in any other sectio
is of this county.
IS 2nd. The cheapest and bei
10 stock food for fattening purpose
N known is cotton seed. crown her